Swansea Belmont will look to carry their impressive form into masters and opens competition this week after starting this year’s NSW Surf Life Saving Championships on the front foot.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The hosts used local knowledge of Blacksmiths Beach to full advantage in tricky conditions on the weekend as the juniors finished fifth overall on the state leaderboard.
The home team, spearheaded by multiple medals from Nicholas Stoddart, climbed from ninth place on Saturday and ended up one spot behind the Hunter’s best performing club Cooks Hill.
“It was a fantastic effort,” Swansea Belmont Surf Life Saving Club president Graham Burge said.
Manly claimed their eighth straight title.
An estimated 2500 juniors, aged between under 9s and under 14s, competed across the three days.
A further 3500 athletes are set to converge on the same venue for masters from Wednesday and opens from Friday.
Swansea Belmont SLSC will hold the event for the next two years after last hosting between 2008 and 2010.
“All the clubs love coming here,” Surf Life Saving NSW events coordinator Luke Stigter said.
Nutri-Grain IronMan and Ironwoman Series athletes Matt Poole and Kristy Higginson visited the championships on Saturday.
LEADERBOARD
Manly 349
Wanda 201
Elouera 194
Cooks Hill 192
Swansea Belmont 135
